Summer of Hope 2026 - Reservation 2

A Flag in a Stronghold

There's no fort on the Sangria Reservation. But there is a stronghold.

The OEW warriors were on mission, welcoming and engaging the local young people. Here's what they were told:

"Every time I started to talk to kids about beginning a relationship with Jesus, they said, 'I can't.'"

"They tell their kids, 'Don't listen to any talk about Jesus.'"

"The first girl I talked to wanted to know more about Jesus – but said she wouldn't be allowed to."

Every time we've been to Sangria, there has been a similar response. Their centuries-old beliefs include a deep resistance to anything about Jesus. Inviting Christ into your life can come at a very high price.

That resistance surfaces in the response so many of our warriors heard as they offered young people the opportunity to trust Christ as their Savior. "I can't." Not "I won't." But "I can't!"

But the battle there wasn't just for their hearts.

One of our seasoned leaders reported she could barely breathe for the first 30 minutes of our first event. Michael (Sioux) reported on his spiritual conversation with a local guy: "I couldn't get the name of Jesus to come out."

After our first night of outreach, a wave of sidelining illness swept through the team within a matter of hours. And on that same night, virtually all of the team reported disturbingly dark dreams – dreams that had, for some, sown potentially paralyzing fear.

The next morning, we fought back. In the Throne Room of the Most High God. We did some clear teaching on the "weapons of our warfare" – the power of fervent prayer, confessing sin, the name of Jesus, the blood of Jesus, praising Jesus. We celebrated the victory over the enemy that Revelation 12:11 declares: "They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony."

I wish you could have been in that circle of prayer with some 40 young warriors boldly claiming the victory of Jesus over fear and darkness. You knew nights 2 and 3 were going to be different. And they were.

The attention to the Hope Stories and the Gospel was amazing. The conversations more fearless. Allie (Navajo) shared Jesus with a girl "who knew nothing about Jesus."

Michael, who hadn't been able to get the word "Jesus" out of his mouth, shared Him boldly now. Allie was hearing "I can't" from girls, getting discouraged until she met "V." "V" said, "I want to pray, but I don't know how." "Do you want me to show you how?" "Please." "V" went home that night on the threshold of an eternity-changing commitment to Christ.

Public commitments to Christ – especially young people - are costly and rare.

But for three game-changing nights in July, they came, knowing Who we are about. Listening attentively. Engaging in sometimes lengthy conversations about Jesus. They went home with our "Created for Life" booklet that could lead them to Christ in their room back home. Because His story is wrapped in the Hope Story of a young, Native messenger.

These young warriors were faced with rejection, discouragement and a blatant enemy attack. But you praying for them led them to "fight the good fight, finish the race and keep the faith" (2 Timothy 4:7). A flag was planted for Jesus in a stronghold.

The pastor who has fought for his people here for decades is ready to advance the Gospel on the ground gained.

The Gospel "dynamite," planted in a human heart, may not detonate immediately. But it will, in God's words, "not return to Me empty, but will… achieve the purpose for which I sent it" (Isaiah 55:11).

Like Brian. He told our warrior, "The last time you guys were here, you gave me a Bible. I forgot about it until I heard you guys were coming. I opened it and read John 3:16. And I accepted Christ that night."

"The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it!" (John 1:5)

* All names and locations changed for privacy.